William Read (died 1701, last name occasionally Reed) was a pirate active in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. He is best known for rescuing fellow pirate captains John Bowen and Thomas White.
Read was captain of Alexander, a 60-ton [1] brigantine based out of Madagascar. [2] Around 1701 he stopped near the settlement of a local native king. Thomas White and John Bowen had been aboard a French pirate ship which wrecked nearby and had been in the care of the king for over a year. [2] The king was hospitable but insisted they leave on the first ship to arrive. [3] Read took them aboard and proceeded around the Madagascar coast, picking up stranded European sailors to increase his crew. [3] Bowen was elected sailing master and handled navigation for Alexander. [4]
Now with 40 [1] to 60 [3] men they sailed to the Persian Gulf and took a 200-ton grab loaded with bale goods. Thinking the bales worthless, the pirates threw them overboard, not realizing the ship's crew had hidden their gold and valuables inside the bales. [3] Read soon died of illness, replaced by a Captain James, who was himself replaced by Bowen after they had exchanged Alexander for the captured grab. [3] Thomas White remained aboard until leaving to sail with Nathaniel North. [5]
William Read of Alexander should not be confused with William Read of Ranger, a pirate who served under Captain Charles Harris until Harris was abandoned by Edward Low and captured by HMS Greyhound in 1723. [6]
William Read (died 1701, last name occasionally Reed) was a pirate active in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. He is best known for rescuing fellow pirate captains John Bowen and Thomas White.
Read was captain of Alexander, a 60-ton [1] brigantine based out of Madagascar. [2] Around 1701 he stopped near the settlement of a local native king. Thomas White and John Bowen had been aboard a French pirate ship which wrecked nearby and had been in the care of the king for over a year. [2] The king was hospitable but insisted they leave on the first ship to arrive. [3] Read took them aboard and proceeded around the Madagascar coast, picking up stranded European sailors to increase his crew. [3] Bowen was elected sailing master and handled navigation for Alexander. [4]
Now with 40 [1] to 60 [3] men they sailed to the Persian Gulf and took a 200-ton grab loaded with bale goods. Thinking the bales worthless, the pirates threw them overboard, not realizing the ship's crew had hidden their gold and valuables inside the bales. [3] Read soon died of illness, replaced by a Captain James, who was himself replaced by Bowen after they had exchanged Alexander for the captured grab. [3] Thomas White remained aboard until leaving to sail with Nathaniel North. [5]
William Read of Alexander should not be confused with William Read of Ranger, a pirate who served under Captain Charles Harris until Harris was abandoned by Edward Low and captured by HMS Greyhound in 1723. [6]